Saudi Arabia Officially Allows All UAE-Israel Flights through Its Airspace
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Saudi Arabia will allow flights between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to cross its airspace, a move hailed as a “tremendous breakthrough” by Israel’s premier, Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Saudi state news agency reported that all flights to and from the UAE will be permitted to use Saudi airspace, according to the aviation authority.
Earlier this week, Israel's El Al flew through Saudi airspace carrying US and Israeli delegations from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, the first official flight by an Israeli carrier over the kingdom. The return flight also used Saudi airspace.
The decision, which the kingdom's aviation authority said came at the request of the UAE, follows a controversial agreement last month between Abu Dhabi and Israel to normalize ties.
Saudi Arabia had previously banned flights to and from Israel from using its airspace, though since 2018 it has permitted Air India to fly over the country to Tel Aviv, which was seen at the time as a sign of secret improvement of ties between the kingdom and Israel.
Later, Netanyahu said that the ability of Israeli planes to fly directly to the UAE is “another tremendous breakthrough”.
He said Monday’s first commercial flight between the two countries will not be the last.
"Flights will be cheaper and shorter, and it will lead to robust tourism and develop our economy," he said in a statement.